Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-13
THE TELEGRAPH PROBLEM.

HE IELE6RAPH PkUBEEHs
Shall the Government Assume Control
of it.
Chicago Herald.
The address of Mr.. Powderly embraces
many topics, but of all it discusses, no
one is so pregnant with suggestion and
consequence as that relating to the ex-
tension of governmental administration
beyond the lines boundingIit in these latter
days. Formerly I'M our history the
ownership and control by the people of
those grand works, whose utility was
their development of the national re-
sources Of wealth, was the orthodox pol
icy. Dewitt Clinton, probably the most
far-seeing and sagacious statesman New
York has given the country, pro-
posed, even before the war of 1912, the
construction OF the Erie canal as q
duty of the general government. The
turmoil caused by that episode in Ameri-
can history alone prevented It's considera-
ton, for the generation that constructed
the Cumberland road was in full accord
with him. New York owes to this policy
the marvellous growth that resulted after
1917, when the state undertook, out Of its
own resources, to open channel for
commerce to the unsettled west, and in
the prosperity consequent all shared.
Since its opening in 1926, through chang
ing administrations, it has carried
only blessings to the world. It's
least service has not been that
it placed limit to the greed
of corporations seeking private gain at
expense of the public welfare, and dur
ing the season of navigation has fixed q
freight rate that measuTably limited the
watering of railroad stocks il the state,
while where no such competition exists
as in Pennsylvania, the people are held
as in wise, and compelled to pay divi-
bends on the flooding excess. AS logl-
cal sequence OF it's original purpose, in
time the canal became absolutely free
and the people of New York now, at their
own expense for their gain and the gain
OF inhabitants through the boundless
west, keep open free channel.
Ii this wise and benefcent policy had
been followed when the application of
steam TO the rail evolved the highway of
the nineteenth century, the people would
not have been paying toll to the modern
barons, now sitting in their legalized
gate houses as their prototypes Of the
twelfth century in their fortalices, at the
confluence OF the ways, compelling tri0
ute from the peddler's pack.
Mr.. Powderly's advocacy of peoples
telegraphs is probably animated by the
fact that his dispatches to his confreres
here were intercepted and the packers
advised Of hisa policy during the
eight-hour strike, with disastrous re-
suits. But the proposition is no less re-
bellion against Jay Gould and the West
ern Union, now in practical monopoly of
the continent. This is evidently
monopoly not of profit bringing bust
ness only, but Of q governmental func-
ton. Its proper conduct interests every
citizen. Its dividends are based upon
fictitious capital OF $4,000, 900, and
earned by an actual capital of less than
$4,000, 000.i Its employees are its COM
PEELED, unwilling mercenaries, competing
at lowest market rates for the privilege of
gathering its extorted tax. They are thus
debased below the level Of citizenship,
for, in fact and essence servants of the
public, they hold their place at the
will of those who elect themselves
by marginal ownership Of property
to governmental power. This certainly
was not the intention of the people
when here they assumed seh-gogerDment.
all that lucas or Caesars did in the infancy
of the race for the solidifcGtion of their
power. This was the business Americans
undertook when in the progress of society
1t rejected domination, and to this We
must revert or the orthodoxy of Clinton
and Jefferson is but an exploded heresy.
Jefferson's theorem that the peoples rule
can be strengthened and "cemented only
by giving to every citizen personally a
part in the administration of
public affairs" draws after it,
as an inevitable corollary, not
only the adoption of the telegrsphic sys-
tenn, as a governmental function, but
such control of the highways by the peo
pie as will express every drop of that
"water" which now bestoWs a social
power on a few INSCRIPTIONS men, in
comparison with which the prerogatives
of our chief magistrate, granted by the
constitution that shelters So 100000 peo-
pie, shrink to insignifcsnce. It is great
contract the people have taken assuming
self government, but the spirit of pOpu
lar government will be content with
nothing less, ultimately. than their COM
plete control of all things that involve in
their administration the general welfare.